Something is Happening. People are Drawing Lines.And We’ve Got It Covered.

Medicare for All. A Green New Deal. Higher taxes on the rich. Women rising up. Teachers marching. Workers organizing. Students striking. Common Dreams is here to cover every moment of it. But we can't do it without you. Please support our 2019 Winter Campaign today.

Support Independent Journalism. The only thing that keeps us going is support from readers like you. Every contribution makes a huge difference. DONATE

Search form

For Immediate Release

Human Rights must be at the Forefront of Third and Final Presidential Debate, says Amnesty International

WASHINGTON - Grave abuses of human rights fuel or underpin many of the foreign policy challenges that will be the focus of Monday night’s final presidential debate.

Whether it is the security situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the humanitarian crisis in Syria, the transitions in the Middle East and North Africa or the challenges to freedom of expression in Russia and China, human rights need to be at the heart of the next president’s foreign policy agenda.

As the third and final debate approaches, Amnesty International calls on candidates to address specifically how they will prioritize human rights within U.S. international relations, and how they will work to remedy a worsening climate of abuse in many parts of the world.

"With recent reports of girls being shot for speaking out for their right to an education, and artists being jailed for peaceful expression of their political beliefs, the United States needs a president who is ready to defend human rights around the world,” said Amnesty International USA executive director Suzanne Nossel. “The next president needs to be unequivocal in his stand for human rights. President Obama and Governor Romney need to spell out how they will uphold human rights both in the United States’ own practices and in its policies toward other governments and international institutions.”

SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT

Something is Happening. People are Drawing Lines.
And We’ve Got It Covered.

But we can't do it without you. Please support our Winter Campaign.

Among some of the topics that should be addressed at the final debate include:

Women’s Rights - the future of women's rights in Afghanistan and Pakistan, where recent alarming attacks point to the broader problem of rampant violence against women and girls

Freedom of Expression- the assaults on freedom of expression and assembly throughout the world. Artists, human rights defenders and others from Liu Xiaobo in China to Pussy Riot band members in Russia to journalists in Ethiopia have been targeted for expressing their opinions.

Targeted Killing by the United States- the U.S. government drone strikes in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen and Somalia, which have resulted in civilian casualties and garnered global resentment against the United States. This policy appears to permit extrajudicial executions in violation of international human rights law.

###

This is the world we live in. This is the world we cover.

Because of people like you, another world is possible. There are many battles to be won, but we will battle them together—all of us. Common Dreams is not your normal news site. We don't survive on clicks. We don't want advertising dollars. We want the world to be a better place. But we can't do it alone. It doesn't work that way. We need you. If you can help today—because every gift of every size matters—please do.

Amnesty International is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights for all. Our supporters are outraged by human rights abuses but inspired by hope for a better world - so we work to improve human rights through campaigning and international solidarity. We have more than 2.2 million members and subscribers in more than 150 countries and regions and we coordinate this support to act for justice on a wide range of issues.

Further

Because so much winning, another good ole bigot - with an actual bully pulpit - has crawled out of his cave to call for the Ku Klux Klan "to night ride again" and hang Democrats, "Republican Democrats" and "socialist-communists" with "hemp ropes to clean out D.C." The newspaper of one Goodloe Sutton has evidently long been "a cesspool of indefensible bilge." Hence, when asked about the propriety of his call, this defense of the Klan: "Well, they didn't kill but a few people." Thanks Trump.

Common Dreams brings you the news that matters.

Sign up for Newsletter

Connect With Us

Support our common dreams.

Can We Count on Your Help Today?

Common Dreams is a small nonprofit with a big mission. Every day of the week, we publish the most important breaking news & views for the progressive community. To remain an independent news source, we do not advertise, sell subscriptions or accept corporate contributions. Instead, we rely on readers like you, to provide the "people power" that fuels our work. Please help keep Common Dreams alive by making a contribution. Thank you. - Craig Brown, Co-founder